Incubator.



R. R. ROOT.

INCUBATOR.

APPLICATLON FILED ris. 18. 1909.

l l 92,565. Patented July 25, 1916.

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1,192,565. PatenteaJuly 25,1916.

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RALPH R. ROOT, 0F NOTTINGHAM, OI-IU.

INCUBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 193m.

Application filed February 18, 1909. Serial No. 478,654.

To all 107mm t may concern,

Be it known that I, RALPH R. RooT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nottingham, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in incubatore, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to incubators, and has for its object the provision of an incubator in which the eggs derive their ,varmth by being maintained in Contact with a heat radiating device, throughout their period of incubation. Furthermore, it comprises accasing which is so constructed as to be easily assembled and taken apart, and allowing access to the various parts of the incubator without dismantling the entire casing.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises the elements and combinations thereet set forth in the accompanying claims.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a central section of the incubator casing with the heater removed; Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross section of the incubator; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the incubator casing; Fig. l is a plan view of the shelf; Fig. 5 is a cross section ot a shelf showing the means for preventing the eggs from rolling oft; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the incubator showing the relative positions oit the shelves with respect to the heating device and also showing the curtains.

The casing comprises a base 1, the end portions ot which are triangular in form at their upper portion, the apex of the triangular portions being hollowed slightly for the purpose ot receiving the ends ot a heat radiating device 2, which, as will be seen from Fig. 2, occupies a. central position with relation to the incubator casing. The heat radiating device in this instance is coinparatively thin when considered with rcspect to its length and height, and maintains a vertical position in the incubator. The lower' portion of the heat radiating device is supported on the end portions of the base l, and suitable means are provided tor maintaining the tank in an upright positiony independent of the side portions of the incubator which are achacent to it. In the 1nstancc shown, the heat radiating device is a hot water tank having a pipe 3 running through the lower portion thereof, which pipe 1s the part actually supported by the endsof the base portion l. This pipe-'communicates with a drum 4t. A pipe 5 communicates with the lower portion of the tank independent of the pipe 3 and its opposite end is in communication with a drum 5, the drums 4 and 5 being in communication by one or more pipes 6. A shield 7 depends from the upper drum 4 and extends downwardly nearly to the top of the drum 5, leaving a slight space between the lower edge oi the shield and the drum 5. The drums l and 5 are provided with walled central openings, the central opening in the drum 5 being adapted to receive the burner oi any suitable heating device, by means of which the water is heated, which causes circulation of the warm water through the tank 2. A suitable regulating device will be provided for governing the amount of heat supplied to the drums 4 and 5, thereby regulating the temperature of the water within the tank 2.

The pipe 5 engages with a slot formed in toi-m, and any suitable means for holding the heat radiating device in an upright posi.- tion is within the scope of this invention.

Upon the base l is supported the upper part of the incubator which comprises symmetrical half portions 8 and 9. Each half is secured to the base portion by means of hinges 10 and the lower portion of each halit is formed with a slanting lower edge to conform to the contour of the end members of the base.

The outside portion ot each half is formed with a removable closure 11 and 12, which closures are hingedly secured upon the lower part of the incubator casing, by means of hinges 13. The two halves S and 9 of the incubator ai'e held together by a suitable catch represented at 14, and each of the closures 11 and 12 is held in place with respect to the half portions 8 and 9 by `means of suitable catches 15.

the manner correspondent to the groove in the end walls to receive one end of ra shelf to support the same.

Upon each shelf member is mounted a device for preventing the eggs from rolling off the shelf when one of the half portions of the incubator is open. This device comprises an angular rail member 17 which has' end portions, each end portion being provided Vwith a downwardly projecting stud 18 formed with a head. The shelf isformed near each of its ends with a slot 19, which is provided with a rounded portion of larger 'diameter at one end thereof. In assembling the member 17 with respect to the shelf 16, ay

stud 18 at one end of the member 17 is inserted through the round portion of one of the slots 19 and pushed as far into the Yslot as it will go, at which time the stud at the opposite end of the member 17 is in a position to enter the end of the round portion of the slot 19 at the oppositel end of the shelf, and the member 17 is then moved until the members 18 at both ends thereof occupy positions within the slots 19.` When the shelf is inserted into its proper position in the incubator, the end walls of the member 17 will engage with the end walls of the casing,

and the member 17 will be prevented from y lateral movement.

material, the outside edges of which are se-A cured to the edges ofthe shelf. In the instance shown in Fig. (3, the shelf 16 is formed of metal and the edges thereof are bent inwardly upon themselves, and the edges ofy the curtain 2O are held thereby.

Each shelf is provided with a device for rolling the eggs, which device comprises a strip of cloth 21, the `edges of which are sewed together so as to form a sleeve or endless belt which is slipped over the shelf and extends substantially the entire length of the shelf between the position occupied by the studs l18 at Vthe opposite ends thereof and beneath the rail 17 The cloth 21 will therefore lie flat with the top o-f each shelf and will surround and hang below each curtain 20. The eggs being placed upon the shelf and lying upon the upper part of the shelf 16 may be rotated by grasping the portions of the sleeve 21 which are toward the outside thereof and pulling the same in a will be rotated so as to change this point of contact with the heating device, and yet the egg will not'be removed from its contact with the heat radiating device. Access to the Isleeves 21 is obtained by opening either of theclosure members 11 or 12 according to which side of the casing the eggs to be rotated are situated. The eggs being placed upon the shelves will press the curtain 2O and sleeve member 21 outwardly, as shown at the lower part of Fig. G, therebypreventing too rapid circulation vof air around the egg, and yet allow the free passage Vof air below the curtainyso that air from the'outside atn'iosphere, fresh and moist, may at all times have access to the interior of the vincubator and circulate around the eggs,

thus simulating the feathers of a hen sitting Y on her eggs. f

y lt will be observed that the egg is in contact with the heat radiating device at substantially one point a, which point is upon one side of the egg, but the heat in passing through the egg will'follow a course generally represented by the lines a-Z); and it has been found that a portion of the egg abovethe dotted line a-b will always be subjected to the heat carried from the heating device, and that the temperature of such poi-tion of the egg will be suiiicient to start and carry on incubation. This condition of affairs closely approximates the conditions which are extant when a hen is-sitting on her eggs, for her'body being soft, the eggs will press the body inwardly, thereby cover'- ing a portion of the surface of the egg and keeping the same in contact with the body.

ln every fertilized egg, the life germ within will, because `of its light specific gravity, always occupy a position at the top of the egg no matter in what position the egg may lie, and furthermore, it is known thatthe life' germ has a great affinity for heat and when Vheat is applied to a fertilized egg at any given point, the life Vgerm tends to migrate to such point. If heat be applied to y anV egg at the top thereof and the point of application of the heat approximately corresponds with the positionof the life germ, there is no migration of the germ; however, the germ is drawn close to the shell under influence of the heat, and unless the egg is frequently rotated the germ will become attached to the shell, which will make the egg worthless. .y

In applying the heat at a point upon the side of the egg, the life germ will occupy a position somewhere midway between the top of the egg and the point of'application of the heat and furthermore the germ will be drawn somewhat toward the interior ofthe egg and away from the shell, so that there is no tendency for the germ to become attached to the shell, and therefore the egg does not require such frequent rotation.

This condition approximates the conditions when a. henl is sitting on her eggs, for a hen never sits directly upon the top of her eggs;

for when she is on the nest, her breast bone separates the eggs, so that it is the side of each egg which is in contact with her body, which portion consequently receives the direct heat.

Suitable means are provided for the admission of air by means of the openings 22, although these openings may be located at a lower portion of the casing, or in fact at any portion, if desired. F or the purpose of allowing the air to escape from 'the upper portion of the incubator, a slot 23 is provided through which the air may escape.

1When the incubator is in assembled condition, the halves S and 9 thereof will be separated by the heat radiating device, and the shelves will extend inwardly to a point adjacent the heat radiating device so that the eggs upon each shelf will roll into contact therewith. By having the shelves slanting, the eggs will at all times tend to be in contact with the heat radiating device. It will also be clear that either half 8 or 9 of the incubator may be lowered from its vertical position, without reference to the other half of the incubator, so that one half of the incubator may be stocked with eggs, independent of the other portion of the incu bator, thereby making it possible to run the in one half independent of the period of incubation of the eggs in the other part of the incubator. Furthermore, each shelf holding a definite number of eggs, and the chickens, when hatched, being unable to get away from such shelf, it will be possible to tell quite definitely the chickens which come from a 0'i ven number of eggs. In this way, it will l'be possible to keep track of the pedigree of the chickens which are being hatched. It will be noted that the shelves slant dmvnwardly toward the heating device, so that the eggs upon the shelves will come against the heater and be held in that position, due to gravity, which is a vast improvement over any device to hold the eggs in contact with the heater.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an incubator, a casing, a heating device within the casing, and means for supporting a plurality of eggs within the casing and against the heating device whereb v each and every egg receives heat by contact with the heating device.

9,. In an incubator, a casing, a heating device within the casing, a plurality of slanting shelves within the casing adapted to support the eggs; said shelves have their lower edges adjacent to the heating device whereby each egg on each shelf gravitates toward the heating device and receives heat by contact with the heating device.

3. In an incubator', a casing, a heating device within said casing, and means for supporting separate rows of eggs in contact with the wall of the said heating device whereby the eggs will be maintained in contact with the heating device at substantially a single point of contact.

t. In an incubator, a casing, a vertical heating device within said casing, a slanting shelf upon which the eggs are supported, and in contact with the heating device, and means carried by the shelf for turning the eggs.

5. In an incubator, a casing, a vertical heating device therein, a slanting shelf upon which the eggs are supported and in contact with the heating device, and a sleeve of iiexible material enveloping said shelf, the eggs resting upon said sleeve.

6. In an incubator, a pair of shelves arranged one above the other, a curtain supported by the upper shelf and extending toward the lower shelf, and a sleeve or endless belt surrounding the shelf and curtain carried thereby.

7 In an incubator, a plurality of shelves, a piece of flexible material fastened at its edge to each shelf and depending therefrom, and a sleeve or endless belt surrounding each shelf and curtain.

S. In an incubator, the combination of a slanting shelf for supporting eggs and a guard rail, said guard rail being provided with end pieces, studs upon the end pieces, slots formed in the shelf adapted to be engaged by the studs for holding the guard rail in place.

9. In an incubator, a casing, a shelf within said casing, a guard rail upon the shelf, said guard rail being provided with studs at opposite ends thereof, there being slots in the shelf at the opposite ends with which said studs are adapted to engage, the said studs being slidable in the slots, the said guide rail being held by the studs from movement upon the shelf when the shelf is in its position in the casing.

l0. In an incubator, a casing, comprising a base and portions pivotally mounted upon said base, there being chambers inclosed by the said portions of the easing adapted to contain eggs, a heating device separating the chambers in each of the said pivoted portions, whereby one of the portions of the casing may be moved away from the heating device, while the other portion of the casing remains adjacent thereto.

l1. In an incubator, a casing comprising a base and an upper portion, saidupper portion being divided longitudinally thereof, each part of the said upper portion of the casing being hingedly secured to the base, and a heating device extending between the two halves of the upper casing.

12. In an incubator, a casing comprising 'f a base and an upper portion, said upper portion being divided longitudinally thereof, a heating device supported by the base extending between the parts of the upper portion, and means for supporting eggs in contact with the said heating device.

13. In an incubator, a casing comprising a base and an upper portion, Said upper portion being divided longitudinally there- 01"', a heating device fiXedly supported between the divided parts of the upper portion, and slanting shelves supported in each part of the upper portion of the casing, whereby the eggs are kept in contact with the heating device.

14. In an incubator, a casing, aheating device within said casing, slanting shelves adkjacent said heating device for supporting the eggsthe said shelves slanting toward the heating device whereby the eggs upon the shelf are maintained in contact with the heating device by their own gravity.

o -l5. In an incubator, a casing, a heating device within said casing'7 the casing being removable with respect to the heating de-y vice, shelves within the casing adjacent the heating device whereby the eggs' contact with the heating device, said shelves slanting toward the heating device, and means associa-ted with the shelves for preventing the eggs from rolling therefrom when the casing and heating device are moved apart.

1G. In an incubator, a casing, Said casing being formed with two compartments, a

heating device supported within the casing between the two compartments, a series of slanting shelves in each of said compartments, the said shelves slanting toward the heatingV device, whereby the eggs will beg,

I Copies of this patent may be obtained` for' ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

v Washington, D. (1.2 

